Suchou Temple Garden c. 1549

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painting, watercolor, hanging-scroll, ink

painting

asian-art

landscape

watercolor

hanging-scroll

ink

watercolor

yamato-e

Dimensions: 26 1/2 x 14 1/8 in. (67.31 x 35.88 cm) (image)

Yuan Qiu painted Suchou Temple Garden in the 16th century using ink and color on paper. Here, the flowing water and meticulously placed pavilions evoke a sense of harmony, connecting nature with human construction. Note how the arched bridge mirrors the form of a rainbow; it is an ancient symbol linking the earthly and divine realms. Consider how similar structures appear in Persian miniatures and even Roman architecture, each carrying echoes of transcendence. This bridge, like those others, is more than a path—it’s a symbol of passage and transformation. The garden, too, resonates with cultural memory. Enclosed gardens appear throughout history from the Islamic world to Europe, representing paradise, order, and the cultivation of the soul. The carefully arranged elements—water, rocks, and flora—echo the human desire to impose order on the natural world, thus creating a space for contemplation. This yearning for a curated existence reflects our subconscious desire to control and understand the chaotic world around us. The garden setting as a microcosm of the universe is a recurring theme, revealing the enduring human quest for meaning and connection to the cosmos.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

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The style of this painting featuring precise, delicate, unassuming brushwork and subtle tints of warm and cool colors is characteristic of literati painting in Suzhou as it was practiced by Wu school artists during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. This painting was done as a gift for one of the leading masters of that school, Wen Zhengming (1470-1559) on the occasion of his eightieth birthday in 1549. The work is by Yuan Qiu, a member of a prominent Suzhou literati family, and himself a student and friend of Wen Zhengming. The occasion of the painting which depicts a tranquil temple garden near the Changmen city gate in Suchou is related in the lengthy inscription which reads in part: . . .Lacking clamor, this is naturally a place for roosting birds,still it can accommodate an honored guest, roaming the glorious grove:With wine cup in hand, the jug concealed, peruse the carried books.The cart is gone, farewells said and Gold Horses (officials) waved away.I offer the Taishi (Wen Zhengming) my wishes for great longevity,reviewing his years of glory and great virtue;I have no other way to praise his exalted years,and so here inscribe my prayers for his long life. Wishing Grand Scribe Hengshan (Wen Zhengming) great longevity,his later student, Yuan Qiu.